A Summer Reading List For Pre K- 6th Grade

Before Entering Kindergarten

Read Alouds

Aylesworth: Naughty Little Monkeys c2003 alphabet

Twenty-six monkeys get into mischief when their parents go out for the evening in

this rhyming alphabet book.

Bang: When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... c1999 character

Sophie expresses her anger when she must surrender a toy to her sister.

Crews: The Neighborhood Mother Goose c2004 nursery rhymes, diversity

This collection of nursery rhymes features the familiar and unfamiliar, all set in the

city.

Ehlert: Pie in the Sky c2004 family fiction

As a father and his child view the cherry tree in their back yard, they refer to it as

a pie tree. Includes a recipe.

Kimmel: The Gingerbread Man c1993 fairy tale

This familiar fairy tale features a gingerbread man who runs away from the

woman who bakes him and meets other animals along the way, including a clever

fox.

Penn:The Kissing Hand c1993 family life

Chester Raccoon is afraid to attend kindergarten until his mother shows him a

special way to take her love along.

Pfister: Rainbow Fish animal stories

The most beautiful fish in the ocean with the

shimmering silver scales discovers the beauty of

sharing.

Pinkney: The Lion & the Mouse c2009 wordless, fairy tale

Wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even

small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the

Jungle.

Prelutsky: Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young c1986 poetry

This collection of 200 short poems is designed for young children and includes

illustrations that correlate with the poems.

Rosen: We're Going on a Bear Hunt c2003 animals, fiction

Brave bear hunters go through grass, a river, mud and other obstacles before the

inevitable encounter with the bear forces a headlong retreat.

Rosenthal: Duck! Rabbit! c2009 animals

Two unseen characters argue about whether the creature they are looking at is a

rabbit or a duck.

Shannon: David Goes to School c1999 humor

David's school behavior needs to be improved.

Sierra: Counting Crocodiles c1997 counting, rhyming

A monkey outsmarts ten crocodiles that stand between her and a banana tree by

using her ability to count.

Sierra: Wild About Books c2004 animals, humor

A librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile to the zoo and subsequently reads a

Dr. Seuss book to the animals.

Slate: Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten c2003 school

Introduces the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her students get ready

for kindergarten.

Taback: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat c1999 diversity

Joseph starts out with an overcoat and ends with a button.

Thompson: Little Quack c2003 animals

Mama Duck encourages her four ducklings to leave the nest. The youngest and

smallest, Little Quack, proves to be the most reluctant.

Wood: Alphabet Adventure c2001 alphabet

The letters of the alphabet join the search to help "i" find her dot in order to

continue their journey in this colorful alphabet book.

Wood:The Napping House c1984 sleep, fiction

While a number of creatures sleep, a flea causes a commotion among them with

just one bite.

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Before Entering First Grade

Read Alouds

Bailey: Stanley’s Party c2003 dogs, humor

When a dog’s owners leave for the evening, he gets into a lot of mischief.

Bloom: A Splendid Friend Indeed c2005 friendship

A polar bear and a goose learn to get along and be friends.

Bourgeois: Franklin in the Dark c1986 fear, fiction

A turtle afraid of small dark places, and therefore of crawling into his shell, asks a

variety of animals for advice, only to find out that each has a fear of its own.

Bruel: Bad Kitty c2005 alphabet

Finding that there is no food in the house, a kitty chooses to be very bad.

Carle: Mister Seahorse c2004 animals, fiction

Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs, after which Mr. Seahorse carries the eggs through the

sea, greeting other fish fathers.

Cousins: Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales c2009 fairy tales

Simple text and bold illustrations tell eight classic fairy tales.

Cronin: Dooby, Dooby, Moo c2004 animal humor

Duck organizes the farm animals for a talent show at the county fair. The first prize

is a trampoline.

Ehlert: Market Day: A Story Told with Folk Art c2000 stories in rhyme, fiction

While keeping a diary, the young fly records how hard it is to be an insect.

Falconer: Olivia series pigs, fiction

Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own

good.

Lester: Hooway for Wodney Wat c1999 fantasy, abilities awareness

Students in Rodney’s class make fun of him, because he can’t pronounce his name

properly; but it is his speech problem that helps to punish the class bully.

Lionni: Swimmy c1991 fish stories

A small black fish, finds a way to protect a school of small red fish from their natural

enemies.

McKinley: One Smile c2002 kindness

While walking through the park with her mother, a child smiles at a discouraged

stranger and sets off a chain of events that spreads kindness and comes full circle.

Numeroff: Beatrice Doesn't Want To c2004 realistic fiction, humor

Beatrice Doesn't Like to Read, but a librarian changes her attitude during a story

session in this humorous, well illustrated book.

Prelutsky: Me I Am c2007 poetry

A book of poem for children celebrating being an individual.

Rathmann: Ruby the Copycat c1991 school, fiction

Ruby wants to fit in on her first day at school, so she begins to copy her classmate

Angela; but then Ruby's teacher shows her how much fun it is to just be herself.

Shannon: A Bad Case of Stripes c1998 individuality, fiction

A girl who is always concerned about what others think of her wakes up one day to

discover she is covered with stripes.

Independent Reading

Capucilli: Biscuit series dog stories

Biscuit, the adorable little tan puppy, has many

adventures.

Gelman: More Spaghetti I Say c1993 stories in rhyme, humor

Minnie the monkey is too busy eating spaghett all day, in all ways to play with her

friend Freddie.

Johnson: Alphabet City c1995 alphabet

Photographs of objects in an urban setting present the letters of the alphabet.

[Top]

Before Entering Second Grade

Read Alouds

Brett: Town Mouse, Country Mouse c1994 fable

After trading houses, the country mice and the town mice discover there's no

place like home.

Cannon: Crickwing, Pinduli, Stellaluna, Verdi, insects, fiction

Picture books about unappreciated and fascinating creatures

Ernst: Sylvia Jean, Drama Queen c2005 fantasy animals, humor

Although Sylvia Jean owns plenty of costumes, she struggles to come up with a

costume for the big party.

Hoberman: You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read

Together c2001 stories in rhyme

This collection of short, rhythmic stories and cheerful art is designed to be read out

loud by both child and adult.

Hoffman: Amazing Grace c1991 diversity, fiction

Although a classmate says that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because

she is black, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.

Mayer: Little Critter stories fantasy, animals

Little Critter is a small creature who is amazingly

like a young human boy. His adventures take

place with different members of his family who

expose him to daily life experiences.

McKissack: The Honest-to-Goodness Truth c2000 character, ethnic diversity

A young girl promises not to ever lie but then discovers that there are times that one

actually should not tell the entire truth.

McNaughton: Once Upon an Ordinary School Day c2004 school story

Mr. Gee, the new teacher, changes "ordinary" when he challenges all the children to

use their imaginations.

Numeroff: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and sequels c1985 cumulative tales

When a mouse requests a cookie, a cycle of events occurs that brings the reader full

circle.

Orloff: I Wanna Iguana c2004 letters, fiction

Alex and his mother write notes back and forth in which Alex tries to persuade

her to let him have a baby iguana for a pet.

Pallotta: Dory Story c2000 sea story, fiction

Danny's ocean adventures are completely enchanting, even if they take place in

the bathtub.

Peet: The Ant and the Elephant c1972 animals, fiction

Of all the animals the elephant rescues, only the tiny ant returns the favor..

Polacco: Aunt Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair c1996 TV, reading, fiction

Since the invasion of television, no one can remember how to read.

Schachner: Skippyjon Jones c2003 humor

This Siamese kitten spends his "time-out" imagining himself as "El-Skippito"

who comes to the rescue of some Chihuahuas.

Steig: Brave Irene c1986 fiction

Brave Irene, the dressmaker's daughter, ventures out into a fierce snowstorm to

deliver the beautiful ball gown her mother has made for the duchess.

Stevens: And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon c2001 nursery rhymes

From the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, Dish and Spoon run away. Concerned

about the fate of the rhyme, Cat, Cow and Dog set out to find them.

Woodson: The Other Side c2001 friendship, ethnic diversity

A fence divides a town where two girls - one white and one black - sit and

gradually become acquainted.

Independent Reading

Crews: Below c2006 fiction

When Jack drops his action figure into a mysterious hole, he has to devise a rescue.

Lionni: Little Blue and Little Yellow c1959 friendship, colors

A little blue spot and a little yellow spot are best friends, and when they hug each

other they become green.

Lobel: Frog and Toad stories classics

Each of the frog and toad stories include several short

tales about two very good friends.

Rylant: Henry and Mudge stories family, dogs, humor

A young boy named Henry and his dog Mudge share

many adventures with Henry’s parents and other

important people in his life.

Sharmat: Nate the Great series mystery

Solve each mystery alongside the most popular sleuth

in the business.

Silverman: Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series fiction

Two new wranglers have hit the ranch. Read how the west will

never be the same again!

[Top]

Before Entering Third Grade

Read Alouds

Bridges: Ruby’s Wish c2002 historical fiction, ethnic diversity

During the 1800s in China, when few girls learn to read and write, Ruby fervently

desires to attend university with all the males in her family.

Curtis: The Bat Boy and His Violin c1998 sports, music, ethnic diversity

Reginald loves to play his violin, but Papa wants him to be outdoors more and

enlists him as the bat boy for the baseball team Papa manages. Reginald plays his

violin in the dugout, and the team improves.

Independent Reading

Adler: Bones series mystery

Everyone needs bones — Detective Jeffrey Bones that is. With

his bag of detective tools in hand, read how Jeffrey can solve any

mystery.

Bourke: Christian the Lion: Based on the True Story of Anthony (Ace) Bourke, John Rendall

and Christian the Lion c2009 nonfiction

Details the experiences of Anthony Bourke and John Rendall, who bought a lion cub from a

department store, raised him as a pet, reintroduced him to the wild in Kenya and years later

received a warm welcome from the grown lion.

Bunting: One Green Apple c2006 historical fiction, ethnic diversity

Farah is new to the U.S. and her class. She feels alone until she goes on a field trip

and realizes things are alike everywhere.

Cleary: Math is CATegorical series stores in

rhyme, mathematics

Mathematical functions are explained in

rhyming text and simple, silly cartoons.

Cronin: Diary of a Fly c2007 animal fiction

A young fly discovers, day by day, that there is a lot to learn about being an insect,

including the dangers of flyswatters and that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

Dadey: Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series schools,

fiction

There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City.

DeFelice: One Potato, Two Potato c2006 fairy tale

A very poor, humble couple live so simple a life they share everything, until the

husband discovers a pot with magical powers buried under the very last potato in

the garden.

DiCamillo: Mercy Watson series animal, fantasy, humor

Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson,

the beloved "pig wonder" of the Watson household.

Foxworthy: Dirt On My Shirt c2008 poetry

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy presents more than thirty illustrated poems for children on

such topics as friends, bugs, family members and pretending.

Holm: Babymouse series c2005 graphic fiction, friendship, imagination

An imaginative mouse learns life lessons while living her life.

Hopkinson: Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His

Forgotten Frontier Friend) c2008 historical fiction

In Knob Creek, Kentucky, in 1816, seven-year-old Abe Lincoln falls into a creek and is rescued

by his best friend.

Johnson: Just Like Josh Gibson c2007 sports fiction, historical fiction

A grandmother recounts the story of the day she was allowed to play in a baseball

game, even though she was a girl.

Kerrin: Martin Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! c2005 fiction

Martin means well, but his ideas don’t always turn out as expected. In three stand-

alone chapters, Martin deals with issues at home and school.

Pinkney: The Ugly Duckling c1999 fairy tale

This adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic portrays an unhappy year for

an ugly duckling who eventually grows up and transforms into a beautiful swan.

Sachar: Marvin Redpost series fiction

Marvin Redpost encounters hilarious problems with school,

family and friends.

Stilton: The Geronimo Stilton series mice, fantasy,

mystery

Geronimo Stilton is a mouse newspaper editor and

journalist who travels the world to chase important

interviews but winds up in the middle of adventures

that involve solving intriguing mysteries.

Tunnell: Mailing May c1997 historical fiction

Five-year-old May wishes to visit her grandmother, but the train is too expensive.

May's father and cousin concoct a clever means of sending the child after all.

Warner: Only Emma c2005 fiction

Emma’s mother loses her job, so Emma becomes the new kid in the school and

neighborhood. An only child, Emma’s life changes when a four year old comes for a

visit.

[Top]

Before Entering Fourth Grade

Abbot: Secrets of Droon series fantasy

Take along with a trio of best friends who stumble upon

the magical world of Droon.

Birney: The World According to Humphrey c2005 fiction, humor

Humphrey, a classroom hamster, surveys his surroundings and finds ways to help the

children in the class.

Bruchac: The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales c2008 folklore

A collection of illustrated Native American folktales.

Clements: Lunch Money c1994 school, humor

Hart is a popular boy who sometimes "goofs off". When he hits the music teacher with

a rubber band, he is put in charge of the holiday concert. Both Hart and his teacher

learn lessons.

Fleming: The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School c2007 fiction,

school

Mr. Jupiter becomes the 4th grade teacher of an unruly class with surprising results.

Grimes: Talkin' About Bessie c2002 biography, ethnic diversity

How Bessie Coleman became the first African-American woman to become a

licensed pilot as told by her family and friends.

Gutman: My Weird School school, humor

A fun series of books about school life that appeal to

reluctant readers.

Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat c2008 poetry

Hurwitz: Fourth Grade Fuss c2004 school story

Julio and his friends enjoy their fourth grade activities - the yard sale, ice skating, and

a surprise party; but the students get serious when they have to study for end-of-the-

year statewide tests.

Kehret: Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays c1999 animals, non-fiction

Tells the story of 8 dogs who were saved from the animal shelter and went on to better

lives.

Klingel: Go Fly a Kite! (And Other Sayings We Don't Really Mean) c2008

idioms, figures of speech

Explains the meaning of many common idiomatic expressions used in English.

Mazer: Amazing Days of Abby Hayes fiction

Myers: Blues Journey c2003 poetry, ethnic diversity

Presents blues lyrics that chronicle the history of the African-American

experience, and includes information about the development of blues music.

Noble: The Last Brother (Tales of Young America series) c2006 historical fiction

Gabe becomes a bugler in the Civil War to protect his only surviving brother.

Osborne: Magic Tree House series time travel, fiction

Explore the world with Jack and Annie.

Pennypacker: Clementine c2006 fiction, series

Clementine is a funny, energetic, third grader with a talent for getting in trouble and

a heart of gold.

Shelby: Adventures of Molly Whuppie and Other Appalachian Folktales c2007

A collection of fourteen that combine traditional Appalachian folktales with

contemporary themes.

Van Draanen: Shredderman series fiction

Discover how Nolan Byrd goes from being the

number one nerd at Cedar Valley Elementary to a world famous superhero.

Wiles: Each Little Bird Sings c2005 family life, grief, fiction

Comfort Snowberger is well acquainted with death since her family runs the funeral

parlor in their small southern town, but even so the ten-year-old is unprepared for the

series of heart-wrenching events that begins on the first day of Easter vacation with the

sudden death of her beloved great-uncle Edisto.

[Top]

Before Entering Fifth Grade

Alvarez: How Tia Lola Learned to Teach c2010 divorce, family life, fiction

Juanita and Miguel's great aunt, Tía Lola, comes from the Dominican Republic to help

take care of them after their parents divorce, and soon she is so involved in their small

Vermont community that when her visa expires, the whole town turns out to support

her.

Clements: We the Children series c2010 mystery

Sixth-grader Ben Pratt's life is full of changes that he does not like but when the

school janitor gives him a tarnished coin with some old engravings and then dies,

Ben is drawn into an effort to keep the school from being destroyed.

Collins: Gregor the Overlander c2003 fantasy

Gregor and his two-year sister fall down a shaft in the basement and find a world of

giant insects and rats. They become part of a huge battle.

DiCamillo: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane c2006 fantasy

Edward Tulane is a selfish, thoughtless toy rabbit until he loses the little girl who

loves him.

Giff: Storyteller c2010 families, historical fiction

Forced to spend months at an aunt's house, Elizabeth feel a connection to her ancestor

Zee, whose picture hangs on the wall, and who reveals her story of hardships during

the Revolutionary War as Elizabeth comes to terms with her own troubles.

Going: The Liberation of Gabriel King c2005 race relations, friendship

Gabriel, a white boy who is being bullied, and Frita, an African-American girl facing

prejudice, decide to overcome their many fears together as they enter fifth grade in

Georgia in 1976.

Hahn: All the Lovely Bad Ones ghost stories

Travis and his sister Corey decide to boost business at their grandmother's Vermont

inn by staging a few "hauntings" that soon draw tourists from across the country, but

when their antics awaken a dark force, they must find a way to put to rest the ghosts

they have disturbed.

Hawkins: The Year the Money Grew on Trees c2008 farm life, fiction

In early 1980s New Mexico, thirteen-year-old Jackson Jones recruits his cousins and

sisters to help tend an elderly neighbor's neglected apple orchard for the chance to

make big money and, perhaps, to own the orchard.

Lowry: The Willoughbys c2008 family life, humorous stories

A tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, in which the four

Willoughby children set out to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful

parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care

of an odious nanny.

Lupica: Two-Minute Drill c2007 dyslexia, football stories

Brainy Scott, a great kicker who otherwise struggles with football, and star

quarterback Chris, who has dyslexia, team up to help each other succeed in both

football and school.

Maya Angelou c2007 poetry

A brief profile of African American poet Maya Angelou accompanies some of

her better known poems.

Nelson: Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, US Marshal c2009 biography, ethnic diversity

An illustrated biography of Bass Reeves, a former slave who was recruited as a

deputy United States marshal, based on his ability to communicate with the Native

Americans in the area that was to become Oklahoma.

Paulsen: Hatchet c1987 survival, fiction

After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the Canadian

wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given to him by

his mother and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

Pearson: Kingdom Keepers series suspense fiction

When Disney comes looking for five teenagers to serve as actors for a new

technology-Daylight Hologram Images (DHIs), there is more to it than

meets the eye.

Peck: A Year Down Yonder c2000 humor, historical fiction

In 1937, during the Great Depression, Mary Alice lives with her very unusual

grandmother in rural Illinois.

Smith: Bone c2004 graphic novel

Three cousins leave their home of Boneville. On their journey they meet royalty,

dragons, and monsters as they try to return home.

Stewart: The Mysterious Benedict Society c2007 fiction, adventure

Four children are secretly spies as students in the Learning Institute for the

Enlightened. They have to avoid being brainwashed by Mr. Curtain, one of the owners

of the school. This is a mystery you will be eager to see unfold.

Thomas: The Kids Guide to Money Cent$ c2004 , personal finance, nonfiction

Text and cartoon illustrations introduce kids to the concept of money.

Varius authors: 39 Clues series mystery

Follow Amy Cahill and her brother, Dan, as they travel the world

to hunt for the 39 Clues.

Various authors: Dear America series historical

fiction

[Top]

Before Entering Sixth Grade

Blackwood: The Shakespeare Stealer c1998 historical fiction, mystery

Widge, a likeable orphan, finds himself in the middle of an adventure to steal and copy

the play HAMLET from Shakespeare. He soon discovers that life in the Globe Theatre

is much better than the other places he has apprenticed.

Broach: Shakespeare's Secret c2005 mystery

Hero moves into a new town and finds she is living in an old house with an unusual

past. With the help of the police chief's son and her neighbor, Hero tries to unravel the

mystery.

Carbone: Stealing Freedom c1998 historical fiction, diversity

This story is based on the true experiences of a young slave girl who escapes to

Canada on the Underground Railroad.

Creech: The Wanderer c2000 adventure

Told through journal writings, Sophie and her cousin, Cody, share the experiences of

their journey on a sailboat, The Wanderer, from Connecticut to England with six crew

members, including her uncles and cousins.

Cushman: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple c1996 historical fiction

Lucy isn’t happy when her mother moves the family from New England to California

for the Gold Rush.

Di Camillo: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some

Soup and a Spool of Thread c2003 fantasy

Tale of a tiny mouse with huge ears, a princess that he loves, a servant girl who wishes

to be a princess and a rat named Roscuro who yearns for soup.

Funke: Inkheart c2003 fantasy

A girl and her father, a bookbinder who can “read” fictional characters into real life,

are abducted by one of the characters, who tries to force them into his service.

Giff: Nory Ryan’s Song c2000 historical fiction

Twelve-year-old Nory Ryan helps her family and neighbors survive during the 1845

potato famine in Ireland.

Golding: The Secret Within c2002 realistic fiction

Carly’s domineering father has a painful family secret that causes Carly to face danger

and seek freedom at night.

Haddix: Double Identity c2005 mystery

Bethany becomes curious about her past when her parents unexpectedly disappear

after leaving her with an aunt who she did not know existed. As the story unravels, the

conclusion uncovers a shocking secret.

Hesse: Music of the Dolphins c1996 realistic fiction

The thoughts of a young girl, who was raised by dolphins from 4 years old after a

plane crash, are recorded by a scientist as she is reintroduced to a civilized way of life.

Holm: Penny from Heaven c2006 historical fiction Newbery Honor winner

In New Jersey during the summer of 1953, eleven-year-old Penny, living with her

mother and maternal grandparents, learns the truth about her father's death and about

her upbringing after she has a serious accident.

Isaacs: Torn Thread c2000 historical fiction

During World War II, twelve year-old Eva, living in Poland at the time, is sent by her

father to a Nazi labor camp in Czechoslovakia, where her sickly sister has been taken.

Kehret: Abduction! c2004 adventure, contemporary realistic fiction

Thirteen-year-old Bonnie, on a quest to find her kidnapped brother and his dog,

becomes a victim of the kidnapper as well.

Levine: Hana's Suitcase: A True Story c2002 biography

The director of a newly opened Holocaust museum in Japan and her students

become intrigued with a suitcase from a concentration camp found among the museum's

artifacts. The story of a Czech girl, Hana Brady, a victim of the Holocaust, unfolds through the

search for information about a suitcase.

Paratore: The Wedding Planner’s Daughter c2005 humor, romance

A twelve-year-old girl, whose mother is a wedding planner, wishes for her mother to

marry.

Ryan: Esperanza Rising c2000 historical fiction, diversity

During the Great Depression, Esperanza and her mother are forced from their wealthy

home in Mexico to Southern California where they work in harsh conditions.

Selznick: The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures c2007

adventure, mystery Caldecott Medal Winner

When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of

a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his

undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

Smith: Peak c2005 adventure, coming-of-age

Fourteen-year-old Peak Marcello’s goal is to become the youngest person to reach the

top of Mt. Everest.

Whelan: Angel on the Square c2001 historical fiction

In 1913 Russia, World War I and the revolution bring unwanted changes into twelve-

year-old Katya's life after she joins her mother in the household of Tsar Nicholas II.